


Bloody White Roses

by orphan_account



Category: Bandom, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Panic At The Disco, Paramore
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/M, M/M, Orphans, Tattoos, domestic abuse, mild violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-08-03
Updated: 2012-08-17
Packaged: 2017-11-11 09:08:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/476902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mrs. Iero did what all the other rich and famous did in those times: She bought an orphaned boy, Frank's age, named Shaun. She gave him one rule: Keep Frank happy. And when Shaun failed, she sent him back and got another in exchange. He too failed to keep Frank happy, even with the large house and endless opportunities. </p><p>So, when she bought Gerard, well... </p><p>Let's just say the rules were a bit more strict.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Welcome to the Family

**Author's Note:**

> I know it says Graphic Depictions of Violence, and some people might not think it is, but i'm just staying safe and saying abuse is graphic violence.

The government has, is, and always will be, confusing as fuck. After about 2014, the whole of the United States went into a recession of sorts. Not in money, not in knowledge, but in society. There was a hierarchy, starting with the President and his family, leading down to the poor. If you didn’t have enough money to keep up with the Joneses (who just so happened to be the last family at the hierarchy, go figure,) you weren’t included at all. 

So, for the wealthy Iero family, life was good. Mr. Iero had a good job working for the government under the Williams family, and Mrs. Iero stayed home to watch over the house. Their son, though, well...

Frank was a problem. He was never happy, preferring to sulk in his room and dye his hair and cut it himself, and there was always the disappointment that Frank was _gay,_ despite his father’s insistence that it was _just a phase._  Mrs. Iero did what all the other rich and famous did in those times: She bought an orphaned boy, Frank's age, named Shaun. She gave him one rule: Keep Frank happy. And when Shaun failed, she sent him back and got another in exchange. He too failed to keep Frank happy, even with the large house and endless opportunities. 

So, when she bought Gerard, well... 

Let's just say the _rules_ were a bit more strict. 

*

The huge car was the first sign that Gerard was finally going to have the chance to get out of the orphanage for good. The chauffeur held the door open for him, even. The woman sitting in the seat across from him looked as cold as the stone floors that he used to sleep on. Her eyes were a sharp silver and her hair was the same color underneath the black hair dye. She had her hands folded tightly in her lap and already she was glaring knives at Gerard. Gerard, in his filthy, ratty shirt and too big jeans, Gerard with his short cropped, greasy hair.  

Gerard, who suddenly felt about three inches tall and horridly out of place in the shiny car across from this woman who was equally clean. 

"Ugh, look at you." She spat, talking more to herself than to Gerard, but still. It stung. "Now, boy. What is your name and how old are you?"

"My name is Gerard and I'm 16, miss." Gerard said quietly. She nodded, before barking.

"Now. Gerard. My name is Mrs. Iero, you will call me nothing else. My son's name is Frank. He is 17, and I expect you to keep him happy until his birthday on October 31st. Then, he'll marry Miss Jamia Nestor, and he'll be none of your concern." The added, _you'll be none of_ our _concern_ , is well hidden, but there. Gerard paled. October was only three months away. Three months until he went back to the orphanage. "If I catch you stealing anything, you're out on the street. If I catch you out of place, you're out on the street. No one but Frank should ever see you. We will give you clothes, a good meal and a hot shower everyday that you do not break a rule. You break the rules five times, and you're out on the street. Understood?"

"Yes." Gerard replied, nearly silent. Mrs. Iero's steely eyes seemed to ignite, and in a flash, she leaned forward and slapped Gerard hard across his cheek. 

"I told you to address me as Mrs. Iero, boy! This is your warning! Do it again, and that is your consequence! Understood?!" She yelled, right in his face as he clutched his cheek in shock.

"Yes, Mrs. Iero." He practically sobbed, and at that moment, the car lurched to a stop and the chauffeur opened Mrs. Iero's door, letting warm light spill across the dark interior. He smiled kindly at her, tipping his hat as she got out and waltzed up the steps of the giant house. It was like an grandiose library, but instead of lions guarding the steps, there were great marble owls, wings spread wide and eyes sharp and lifelike. The chauffeur smiled sympathetically at Gerard, still holding his sore cheek, a waved him up the steps to a older maid. Her eyes were blue and she had laugh lines and wrinkles around her eyes from smiling. 

"Oh, honey, look at you. You're filthy. Come on, we'll get you cleaned up and into some better clothes." She muttered, clucking her tongue, and leading Gerard in the house through a separate door. A teen, not too much older looking than Gerard, was calmly looking at Mrs. Iero as she ranted about something, getting in his face. It must be Frank. He glanced over at Gerard and smirked, before the maid pushed Gerard into a bathroom and started a shower for him, laying out a black t-shirt and dark jeans and even new shoes. She also left a necklace with a small owl pendant on it. "Here you go honey, now hurry up, I'll show you to his room when you get out." The maid said, patting Gerard kindly on the back and leaving the bathroom. 

_A real shower. Nice clothes._ Gerard thought with glee as he got under the spray. When he got out, his hair was shiny instead of greasy and he was dressed in clothes that actually fit him. The maid smiled when he opened the door, and put her hand over her heart in a mock swoon.

"Handsome." She whistled, before ruffling his hair a little and patting down his shirt. Blushing, Gerard smiled a little and looked at his shoes. "C'mon, honey, I'll take you up to his room." She said, before stopping abruptly, turning back around. "Oh, where are my manners? My name's Laura, dear."

"Gerard. It's nice to meet you Miss Laura." Gerard said quietly, shaking Laura's hand. 

"Handsome _and_ manners. Aren't you the perfect example of a young man?" She cooed, before leading Gerard up what seemed like a lot of stairs to a door that was painted jet black. Music blared from the other side and Laura's expression darkened as she knocked on the door. "He could learn a thing or two from you." She muttered, right as Frank yanked the door open with a equally unhappy expression.

"What?!" He yelled, over the loud music.

"Mr. Iero, this is Gerard, he's the orphan your mother brought home. She expects you to keep this one a bit longer." Laura replied, her voice tight. Frank nodded and threw the door wider, but when he noticed Gerard, he got that damn smirk right back on his face, his eyes flashing down to the owl that sat right at the hollow of Gerard's throat. 

"Thank you, Laura." Frank called as the nice maid, so far Gerard's only friend, left. Frank yanked Gerard in his room and shut the door.  Room was an understatement. Frank seemed to have a whole apartment, the walls all black and white while the furniture was a blood red. The music was coming from a sound system in the corner, and Gerard could easily tell which part of the room was supposed to be his. A lone mattress- _A mattress, though!_ Gerard sighed happily- sat in the far corner of the room, far away from Frank's giant bed. "So, Gerard, I'm supposed to keep you." Frank said, after he'd turned the music down to a tolerable level. Gerard nodded and looked at his shoes. "Trying to make straight and bringing home a pretty boy." He laughed, quietly, but Gerard blushed anyway. 

"What do you want to do?" Gerard asked instead of blushing more when Frank stepped up closer and tilted his face up. Frank leaned closer, to Gerard's ear, and whispered.

"Lots." Gerard felt his face get hot _again._ Damn, he really needed to quit blushing. 

"O-okay. Like what?" Gerard stuttered. Frank chuckled and pulled a little on the owl on the necklace.

"That's a pretty owl, Gee. You know what it means?" He said instead. Gerard shook his head. Again, Frank leaned in, close enough that his lips brushed Gerard's ear. "Means you're _mine_. An Iero." Gerard shivered and suddenly, Frank was all in his space, with his hands wrapped around Gerard's arms and his nose bumping Gerard's. "I think I like you better than the others. You're awful pretty." He whispered, resting his cheek against Gerard's, but the door rattled and in a flash, Frank was on the other side of the room, fiddling with a white guitar. Mrs. Iero appeared in the doorway, and Gerard stood stock-still with fear. Her glare said it all. Frank flashed a smile at his mother, and her glare softened a little. When the door shut, Frank looked angry, his knuckles going white around the guitar. 

"Gee." He said, his voice tight. "What did she do?" Gerard went white, his eyes widening. Frank was back in his space, but instead of taunting Gerard by getting too close, he held Gerard away, looking at his cheek. "That bruise. Where'd you get it?"

"I- uhm. I don't-" Gerard stuttered, trying to placate Frank, who looked extremely miffed. 

"She _hit_ you, didn't she?!" Frank snarled. "No one _touches_ you but me."  He traced the sore spot just under Gerard's eye, "I promise." Gerard smiled lazily, suddenly tired. "You're sleepy, aren't you? It's late, no wonder." Frank said quietly, pulling Gerard toward his bed rather than the ratty mattress. Gerard whined, pointing to the mattress. "I'm not letting you sleep on that." And having been too tired to argue, Gerard let himself get pulled down onto the fluffy mattress and into the circle of Frank's arms. 


	2. There Are No Raindrops on Roses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Then you won't go back. Wherever I go, you'll go with me. Deal?" Frank whispered, like he'd known Gerard all his life rather than a day. Gerard squinted at Frank, looking almost past his eyes for any sign that he was lying- that he decided to play some cruel joke on Gerard. From what he'd heard from Shaun, Frank had liked to play tricks on him.
> 
> All he found was Frank staring back at him, waiting patiently for a response.
> 
> "Deal."

Frank poked Gerard's side, still eyeing the spot where Gerard's shirt had ridden up in the night, revealing a white rose dripping in blood tattooed into the skin there. When Gerard finally groaned and blinked, Frank got right to the point.  
  
"Gerard, are you _aware_ that you have a tramp stamp?" Gerard's eyes went wide. "Of a bloody white rose? Did you know?"   
  
"What -no, I don't have- tattoo- hate needles." Gerard garbled, flapping his hands around for emphasis.   
  
"Yeah ya do, look!" Frank cried, and took a picture, showing the screen to Gerard. And there it was, right at the small of his back.   
  
"Oh. So I do. Whatever. I don't remember getting it." Gerard said, reaching to touch his back like he expected to feel the rose.   
  
"How can you not remember getting a tramp stamp ?!" Frank blurted, before dissolving into giggles.   
  
"I don't- you, c'mon Frank- not funny!" He whined, yanking his shirt back down, rolling on his side away from Frank. Frank rolled with him, hooking his chin over Gerard's shoulder.  
  
"Tramp stamp." He whispered, smiling. Gerard huffed and crossed his arms, cracking the tiniest of crooked smiles.  
  
"So. I know you're busy bothering me and all, and that's cool, but I kinda have to keep you happy. I'd really rather not go back to the orphanage until I have to." Gerard explained. Frank nodded, his chin digging into Gerard's shoulder, and rolled onto his back, already babbling.  
  
"I'm happy, I guess. And I suppose that we could- wait. You said. What do you mean go back to the orphanage? Won't you stay here with me?"  
  
"I guess not. I mean Mrs. Iero said you'd be none of my concern after your birthday, and since she hates me, I doubt I'll stay. But I wish I could. Stay." Gerard blushed and fiddled with his shirt. Shut up, shut up, shut up  
  
Frank was quiet for a long time, the long pause making Gerard want to maybe beat his face across the bedpost with embarrassment. Finally, he asked the question Gerard knew he'd get: "Why do you hate the orphanage so much? I went  there like a year ago on some church function and it wasn't crowded and the kids all were cleaned up-" Frank frowned. "Wait. I didn't see you there." Gerard sighed unhappily.  
  
"They hide away most of the kids during the day, when the orphanage is open. You've got to be pretty and clean and healthy-looking to even be upstairs, where they keep the kids who are being adopted. I only just got up there yesterday. Downstairs is where the others stay and there's no beds and rarely any food. There's huge spiders and when it rains, it floods; during the summer it gets so stuffy sometimes kids pass out. It's- it's awful ." Gerard finished miserably.   
  
"That is awful. You belonged upstairs with the pretty orphans, you know." Frank said quietly, causing Gerard to blush again and duck his face. "It's true. And anyways, didn't you have any friends or something?"   
  
"Nothing's worth going back there." Gerard sighed and Frank's expression saddened. "It sucks" Gerard added, unnecessarily, as Frank reached up and touched Gerard's hand.  
  
"Then you won't go back. Wherever I go, you'll go with me. Deal?" Frank whispered, like he'd known Gerard all his life rather than a day. Gerard squinted at Frank, looking almost past his eyes for any sign that he was lying- that he decided to play some cruel joke on Gerard. From what he'd heard from Shaun, Frank had liked to play tricks on him.  
  
All he found was Frank staring back at him, waiting patiently for a response. 

"Deal." Gerard said quietly, a small smile on his face. Suddenly there was a sharp rapping on the door and Frank's eyes widened as he shoved Gerard out of the bed.   
  
"Go!" Frank whispered harshly, pointing to the ratty mattress as he walked toward the door as the rapping started again. Gerard scrambled for it and was just lying down as the door was thrown open, nearly hitting Frank in the face. It's Mrs. Iero, face stern as ever. Gerard touched his face and whimpered quietly, remembering the hit from yesterday. She glared at Gerard before forcing a smile for Frank.   
  
"We have a few guests coming over and I need to talk to Gerard about what he is and isn't to do while they're here." She explained, already crossing the room and yanking Gerard up by his arm, her grasp tight enough that Gerard winced and hurried to get his feet under him. Frank stood there, his face red with anger and his hands curled tightly into fists as Gerard was pulled away. Mrs. Iero slammed the door again, glaring at Gerard as he whimpered lowly.   
  
"You are not to make a single sound as soon as Frank leaves his room, and you are not permitted to leave the room unless Frank or I come in and get you. Understood?" She barked, getting in Gerard's face as if to prove something.   
  
"Yes, Mrs. Iero." Gerard whispered fearfully. She nodded and shoved him off toward Laura, who had been standing at the end of the hall.  
  
"Go with Laura, she'll get you food and clean clothes for today." She demanded, walking past him and down the stairs.   
  
"Thank you Mrs. Iero." Gerard whispered quietly, still fearful. Laura smiled sympathetically. "Hi, Miss Laura." he added, feeling awful for forgetting about her.  
  
"How are you, honey? This place treating you well?" She asked, pushing Gerard toward the bathroom, handing him a new set of clothes. When Gerard nodded, she smiled, relieved. "Now, obviously, you keep the necklace and the shoes, but the clothes you're wearing now, you can give to me when you get out of the shower okay? I'll be right outside the door." Gerard nodded and stepped back under the spray. When he stepped back out, he handed his old clothes to Laura and she let them fall down a laundry shoot. She led him down a separate set of stairs, towards what smelled like the kitchens. "So kiddo, what can I get ya?" She smiled as Gerard sat up on the counter.   
  
"Uhm, anything?" He asked uncertainly. He'd never had a choice before. He- he could have anything and wouldn't mind.   
  
"How's eggs, toast, and orange juice sound? Or would you like coffee?" Laura asked, laughing when Gerard frowned and asked what coffee was. "It's good, hun, you'll like it." She smiled and turned around to get his breakfast. She set him down a plate and without really looking at it, he ate all of it, blushing, embarrassed, when Laura turned back around with a mug of- what he assumed to be coffee- and her eyes widened at his clean plate.  
  
"Hungry aren't you?" She laughed, handing him the drink. It was good, indescribably so. It- it just was . There were no words, really. Laura laughed again at his face and shooed him back upstairs after he'd insisted that he'd wanted nothing else to eat. The second he was back through the door, Frank was crowded in his space.  
  
"What did mom say? Did she- she didn't hit you did she? She did, didn't she?! I swear to God-" Frank snarled, checking over Gerard's face for any new bruises.   
  
"Frankie she didn't hit me, I'm fine, calm down." Gerard said quickly, trying to keep Frank from causing problems over him. Frank stepped closer and touched the owl again.   
  
"Swear?" Frank said quietly, and Gerard nodded. Frank touched his cheek to Gerard's, hands tight over Gerard's forearms like he was afraid he'd jerk away. "No one should hit you Gee. You're mine, no one touches you." Gerard blushed. Frank pulled back but their noses still touched. Frank smiled a little at the blush and at the owl, leaning in to brush his lips against Gerard's. Frank pulled further away quickly, uncertain until Gerard put up no protest. Frank leaned back in and kissed Gerard again, hands moving from Gerard's wrists to his hips. Gerard was kind of frozen, kissing back on auto-pilot. A sharp rapping caused Frank to pull away quickly, Gerard half-following him until he realized what he was doing. Frank opened the door and was yanked out by Mrs. Iero. She glared over Frank's head at Gerard.  
  
"Not. A. Sound." She hissed, shutting the door, leaving Gerard to tiptoe over to his mattress and lie down to try to sleep instead of think too much.   
  
  
Well, at least he tried not to think. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should I post my 3 AM doodle of Frank and Gerard sleeping? I'M CONFLICTED ON WHETHER IT SPOILS TOO MUCH. ;-;


	3. Tattoos of Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frank sent the text and hoped, that for once, Jamia would listen when he said to stay away.

  
Dinner was boring to say the least. It wasn't even anyone _important,_ for God's sake. Just some of Frank's mother's friends, constantly talking about knitting and painting and whatever else they had the money to do in her spare time. When Frank's mother shooed him back up to his room, he knew he shouldn't make  _too_ much noise. He was still pissed about her hitting Gee. Seriously, who does that kind of shit anymore?! He opened the door and was surprised to find Gerard sleeping, his knees tucked up to his chest, on that ratty mattress. In all reality, it was probably a smart idea, had Frank’s mother checked in. Frank frowned and shrugged out of the itchy jacket and shirt, walking to his closet to get something he could sleep in. As much as he wanted to wake Gee up and at least move him to his bed, Frank knew his mother would check in after her friends had left. He did throw a blanket over Gerard, after noticing that he’d been shivering in his sleep. He pulled out his phone under his covers, like he used to as a kid, but instead of a phone it’d been his little tablet that he’d kept all the old comic books on. He had three texts from Jamia, and two from his dad. As much as Frank loved his dad, he couldn’t text to save his life, so he skipped over those and went straight to Mia’s.   
  
_Hows it? :D  
  
Frank, whats up, u usually always txt back. U didnt get grounded again did u? :(  
  
Thts it, Iero, u leave me no choice, Im coming ovr 2moro. >:) _  
  
Frank paled a little. As much as he loved Jamia, if she came over, they’d all be under constant surveillance by his mom  and most likely Mia’s. They were “betrothed” or some shit. They were best friends, sure, but that was it. Frank drew his lines fairly clearly, thank you very much. He texted Jamia back as quick as he could, messing up a fair amount of words in his haste.  
  
 _No mia u hav to stay hme i got a orphn n hes lyke undr prbatin or sme shit_  
  
Frank sent the text and hoped that for once, Jamia would listen when he said to stay away.   
  


* * *

  
  
Of course, Jamia didn’t listen. Around ten the next morning, the doorbell rang, and when Laura answered, she was greeted with a polite hello from Jamia before she practically ran upstairs. Laura kind of just stood in the doorway. Usually Jamia at least said hi to the Mrs. before going up to Frank’s room. Laura shrugged and shut the door again, muttering about kids and how strange they could get. Of course, she didn’t mean Gerard. Gerard was a sweetie, and Laura had decided that once Frank moved out, she’d take him under her wing.    
  
If Mrs. Iero didn’t send him back to the orphanage, that is.    
  


* * *

  
  
“Fraaankieee!” Jamia sang shrilly, banging on the door with her fist until a pale, sleepy looking boy with crooked black hair answered the door. “Ooh you must be that boy Frankie told me about. I’m Jamia.” The boy paled a little but smiled anyways, shaking her hand and mumbling that his name was Gerard. Frank stumbled out of his walk-in closet and glared at Jamia.  
  
“What happened to _stay away_ _?_ ” He muttered, rubbing his eyes and yawning. “In fact, what happened to _I never get up before noon?”_ Jamia giggled delightedly, a little maniacally, and practically knocked Frank over trying to get to where she could sprawl out on his bed. Gerard had shuffled over to the other side of the room, curling back up on the mattress, wrapped in the blanket Frank had given him. Jamia kind of frowned and slapped Frank on the back of the head.  
  
“What’d you do now?” She chided, as the boy rolled onto his side, away from them. Frank turned all nine shades of embarrassed and looked away. “Oh my God you didn’t!” Jamia squealed, slapping Frank’s wrist and squeaking again when he just blushed again. “ _Frank!_ ” She squealed happily, looking over to Gerard. She’d have to watch him, if he and Frank were gonna be-  
  
Going to be what? They were engaged already, whether they both liked it or not. Jamia had always secretly like the Bryar’s boy with the pretty eyes- but honestly there were few ways to get out of an engagement. Jamia would have to be replaced by a sibling, since the parents had probably already moved most of their money into a permanent account _under both their last names._ Jamia, like Frank, was an only child.  
  
“Frank.” Jamia said sadly, and Frank’s shoulders dropped.  
  
“I know, Mia.” He mumbled, staring at his feet. Jamia pat his shoulder sympathetically. He perked up again, showing her the picture of Gerard’s strange tattoo. “But, J, he’s got a mark. Kind of like yours, actually.” Jamia glanced up at Frank, then back to the tattoo. Each rich family had a symbol. The Ieros had owls, because they were known to be wise. President Rush’s family’s symbol were black roses, like the kind that would be at a funeral. They had exchanged their last mark- a raven- for the roses after Donna and Donald Way had died in a car crash, nearly killing their only son with them. The Way’s trademark had been _white roses,_ because the Ways were all exceptionally beautiful and pale. The Nestor’s mark was a bleeding heart, for their loyalty.  
  
“Frankie.” She gasped, looking back at Gee and then to the picture again. If he really was a Way, a son no one had known about, his tattoo would mean that he was both a Way and a Nestor, and was eligible to be the replacement in the engagement. Frank grinned hopefully. “Frankie, how would we- we’d have to _prove it_. By blood. And you know I’d open a vein for you any day, but the Ways are all dead.”  
  
“Not Mikey.” Frank argued, causing Jamia’s eyes to bug out. Mikey Way was someone they only ever saw behind a barricade, really. He was like- like a  _prince._ He was next in line to be President, for God’s sake. He had bodyguards with him all the time, despite hardly ever leaving his estate of a house. It had to be impossible to get a blood sample off Mikey. “I know it’s like impossible, Mia, but we- we can _try._  Especially if he really is your half-brother, we could talk to Hayley Williams, she’s a better person on the tattoos, _and_ she’s pretty good friends with Mikey’s boyfriend Pete Wentz. Come on, Mia, it’s worth a shot.” Frank finished, glancing over at Gerard before pouting to Jamia. 

  
“You know,” Jamia sighed, standing up. “That might just be crazy enough to work.” Frank giggled happily and threw his arms around her.  
  
“I love you, I love you, you’re the best friend ever, seriously. Bob’s lucky.” Frank giggled, ducking away as Jamia blushed and tried to slap his hand.  
  
“ But , we still need someone to test the blood sample and like see if our DNA is even close to matching.” Jamia reasoned. Frank grinned.  
  
“Well.....” He smirked, “The Bryar’s are doctors...... _and_ Bob would probably be pretty willing to do you a favor, ya know.” Frank wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Jamia blushed again and slapped Frank’s wrist, standing up.   
  
“I’ll see what I can do.” She sighed, heading toward the door. “Just make sure he’s on the program. Don’t you go springing this shit on him all at once, Frankie.” She warned, pointing to Gee. “Also, have fun talking to Hayley, since i’m convincing Bob and all.” Frank smiled brightly as Jamia left. He tiptoed over to the door, listening as Frank’s mother wished her well and sent her off. When footsteps started upstairs, Frank turned on his music as loud as it would go, and listened again at the door as the footsteps went back downstairs. Frank turned around to see Gerard sitting straight up on his little bed and glaring at the sound system speaker right in his corner. Frank giggled delightedly and jumped onto the mattress with Gee, knocking him over.  
  
“Uh, you’re happy?” Gerard guessed, smiling a little, and scrunching his nose up when Frank kissed his cheek and giggled. “Can I take that as a yes?” Frank nodded against Gerard’s neck, smiling brightly. “And why are you so happy?”  
  
“Because I have the nicest best friend ever. And, there’s a chance you’re actually richer than me.” Frank mumbled, tucking his head under Gerard’s chin.  
  
“I’m _what?_ ” Gerard spluttered.  
  
“You have the same kind of tattoo as me, look!” Frank said gleefully, rolling over and yanking the back of his shirt up. There, on the small of his back, was an owl, wings spread wide and its talons up high like it was close to catching dinner. Gerard kind of spluttered, and flailed.  
  
“But I’m an _orphan_!” Gerard exclaimed after flapping his hands around and almost slapping Frank across the face.  
  
“I know! But your tattoo means you’re like half Nestor and half Way!” Frank squealed happily. “You might have a brother _and_  a sister!” Gerard smiled brightly, and laughed happily with Frank.  
  
But of course, since karma hated Gerard for some reason, Mrs. Iero chose that time to walk in. Gerard jumped away from Frank, and stared, in shell-shocked _terror_ as she stormed over, looking absolutely livid.  
  
“And just what did you think you were doing?!” She snarled, yanking Gerard up by his hair. Gerard gasped and whined loudly as she pulled him out of Frank’s room before Frank could stand up and stop her. As soon as they were out of the room, she slapped him hard across the face, and tears pricked in Gerard’s eyes. “You’re staying down in the kitchens for the rest of this week, and I’m not warning you again! Understood?” Gerard sniffled and nodded, quickly covering up his mistake.  
  
“Y-yes Mrs. Iero.” He said, clutching his cheek. Down the hall, Frank opened his door and froze, looking seriously pissed as Mrs. Iero shoved Gerard down the same stairs that Laura had taken him down. Gerard heard Frank call his name, but he sniffled and continued downstairs as Mrs. Iero started yelling at Frank again. Laura wasn’t there when he got downstairs, just a few maids and the occasional butler pushing past him. He sniffled and sat on the floor by the stove, where it was at least a little warm. For a kitchen, it was surprisingly cold. He held his cheek, and knew before he pulled his hand away to check, that one of Mrs. Iero’s nails had caught his cheek and cut it open. He winced and felt around the little cut, which was all it was really, only about an inch or so long. It had stopped bleeding too, he realized, as Laura bustled into the kitchen, looking around, and hurried over to him when she saw him.  
  
“Oh honey, I overheard what happened, are you alright?” She murmured, like she was afraid to be caught too. Gerard sniffed and nodded, still holding his cheek. “Aw, honey, let me get you something for that. The Mrs. has an arm on her; you’re already bruising up.” Laura said, hurrying to get him a rag and fill it with ice. Gerard smiled sadly and touched it to his cheek. Laura handed him a cup of coffee and offered to get him something to eat, even though it was too late after breakfast and it wasn’t close enough after lunch to steal a leftover. He smiled gratefully but declined. He was already in trouble, and he certainly didn’t want Laura to be in the jailhouse with him. Sighing, Gerard tipped his head back so it rested against the wall, and tried to fall asleep.  
  
Anything to get his mind off of Frank, the tattoo, and Mrs. Iero.

 


	4. Renegade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We’ll get out of here, Gee.” Frank promised quietly to the sleeping orphan. “I swear.” Gerard mumbled in his sleep and rubbed his face against the pillow, sighing happily

Frank shook Gerard’s shoulder gently, trying to get him to wake up. There was a big bruise on Gee’s cheek,  accompanied by a small cut right under his eye. Frank wasn’t happy about either of the two. Gerard whined sleepily and his head lolled a little against the wall. Frank had found him sleeping _on the floor_ in the kitchens. Needless to say, Frank wanted to fix that. Gerard was actually really light, despite being a good two inches taller than Frank, so Frank picked Gee up and carried him back upstairs. He made sure to lock his door after he set Gee on his bed, and set his alarm to early in the morning- way before his mom got up- so he could let Gee go back downstairs. As much as he hated it, Frank knew his mother would check there first for Gerard, and if he wasn’t there, he’d probably get hit again. Frank practically snarled at the thought, and traced Gerard’s bruise lightly. Gerard whimpered in his sleep and rolled closer to Frank on the bed. Frank smiled a little and kissed Gerard’s forehead.  
  
“We’ll get out of here, Gee.” Frank promised quietly to the sleeping orphan. “I swear.” Gerard mumbled in his sleep and rubbed his face against the pillow, sighing happily.  
  
While Gerard slept, Frank planned just how he’d talk Hayley into helping them out. He knew that Hayley had always liked to sing, and that she’d had her eye on a specific microphone for awhile. Her only problem was, she had wasted most of her money getting the butterfly on her back removed and replaced with a butterfly whose wings had been ripped off and pinned apart from the body. As advanced as technology was, it still cost a _lot_ of money for tattoos and especially tattoo removal. Frank hoped he could bribe Hay with that mic, in exchange for getting time to talk with Mikey Way. Frank groaned and rubbed his face as the realization of how hard this was going to be hit him.  
  
He just had to hope it worked.  
  


* * *

  
  
Frank’s alarm startled Gerard so bad he fell out of the bed, taking Frank with him. Frank groaned and shoved himself off Gerard, slapping around blindly until he hit the snooze button. Gerard sat straight up and touched his bruise, and paled so he was almost translucent. Frank touched Gerard’s shoulder lightly and shushed him, helping him get up as they snuck downstairs. Frank stuck his head in the room and was relieved to find that no one was in the kitchens. Frank tugged Gerard in by the wrist, smiling brightly as Gerard realized he was safe. Frank smiled and placed his hand with Gerard’s, squeezing it reassuringly. A thump echoed from down the hall, and Frank yanked Gerard close to kiss him quickly before dashing back upstairs. A younger maid, whom Gerard thought to be named Elizabeth, tiptoed into the kitchen before freezing at the sight of Gerard, practically quivering in fear. Gerard smiled and waved a hand, as if to tell her to continue on. She smiled and snuck over to the pantry, grabbing a water bottle and some crackers before sneaking back out. Gerard yawned and glanced at the clock on the stove. 2 in the morning. He yawned again and stumbled towards his little crevice by the warm stove, and fell back asleep.    
  


* * *

  
  
  
When Gerard woke up next, it was to Laura shaking him awake and explaining that they were going to have guests over. Laura explained about the Williams’ girl wanting to meet him or something equally unbelievable.  
  
“Wait. Mr. Iero’s _boss’s daughter_ wants to meet _me_?” Gerard spluttered in surprise. Laura nodded.  
  
“We’ll have to get you cleaned up and find something to hide that bruise, ok, hon?” Laura explained, gently tugging him upright and towards the stairs. “Since you have only two outfits, we’ll have to borrow pants and a shirt from young Mr. Iero.” Laura said, rapping on Frank’s door and explaining the same thing to him. Frank smirked and handed Laura back a pair of black jeans and a plain white tee-shirt. Laura eyed him suspiciously but said nothing as she pulled Gerard toward the bathroom. “Get dressed and open the door when you get out. I think I know what’ll cover that bruise, honey.” She said, lightly pushing Gerard into the bathroom and shutting the door. When Gerard was finally clean, he tugged on the pants- which were a really tight fit, but after checking the tag on Frank’s pants and his own, he found them to be the exact same size- and pulled the shirt over his head. He gasped when he finally got a look at the bruise on his cheek in the mirror. It was literally about the size of his hand, complete with long, finger-shaped bruises near his jaw. The whole thing was an ugly, mottled shade of both yellow and purple. Gerard shook the sick feeling in his stomach off and toweled off his hair, opening the door for Laura after he’d gotten his shoes on. She smiled and tipped his chin back to get a better look at the extent of his bruise. Luckily, one of the other maids had some ivory colored concealer that she had nicked off a lady before she’d ever come to the Ieros. Laura took her time making sure the cover was both even and thick enough to hide the bruise, and when she was done, she turned Gerard around to show him. He smiled and thanked her quietly, touching his own face like he couldn’t believe what a little concealer could do. From downstairs, the doorbell rang, and Laura’s eyes shot wide open as she shoved Gerard back into Frank’s room and ran down to get the door. Frank’s eyes widened at the obvious use of makeup, but really, Laura had done a good job, hiding all of that ugly bruise perfectly. Hayley knocked politely on the door, and without waiting, opened it anyway. Gerard’s eyes bugged out of his head at her hair, which could only be described by him as the colors of a warm fire, bright red and orange with lemon yellow highlights. Her outfit was uh, _ interesting_, to say the least. Her shirt was lime green, and her pants were split exactly half black and half white, and on top of it all, she had on baby blue shoes. She had chewing gum, and smacked it loudly as she smirked at Frank and then Gerard.  
  
“M’guessing this is our mystery boy here?” She asked, cocking a hip and waving a hand at Gerard. Frank snorted but nodded. Hayley waltzed up and started rummaging through the backpack no one else had noticed, smiling when she pulled out an old looking book. She opened it to the back first, searching down the index and then flipping through pages until she finally stopped at one, pointing at a bright picture of a family tree and then to a smaller set of photos, each of similiar tattoos. She shoved the book under Frank’s nose, pointing out one specific tattoo.  
  
“See there is what a hybrid tattoo looks like. It’s actually the one Mikey has,” She explained, waving a hand over the photo of a dark raven clutching a white rose in its beak, like it knew all the answers. Maybe it did. “But you get the idea, hybrid tattoos usually belong to the children of two couples who can’t decide on what family trait sticks out most in their child. Like for example, I had the Williams’ butterfly rather than my mother’s symbol because I was free-spirited. You have the owl, Frankie, because someone fucked up and thought you were actually wise.” Hayley laughed, ducking away as Frank giggled and reached to slap her wrist lightly. “Anyways, my point is, that if Gerard here _really truly_ is somehow half Way and half Nestor, his tattoo would make more sense, considering he and Mikey are about a year apart, _and_ that if Donna Way really did have a Nestor’s son, she would have hidden him. That’s why Gee ended up in the orphanage and with the bloody rose. _That’s_ why it will be easy to prove, even if Mikey doesn’t offer up some DNA.” Hayley concluded, smiling widely. Frank grinned. So maybe convincing Hayley to help wasn’t so hard after all.  
  
The real problem would be sticking both Gee and Mikey with a needle for a blood sample.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The italics keep not showing up, so tell me if there's no italics in a chapter, pleeeease. I allllways emphasize with italics. 
> 
> Also, 3 AM doodle or no? :/ Still conflicted.
> 
> TELL ME PLEASE. ;-;
> 
> xxLee


	5. A Broken Heart Is Blind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luckily for the cause’s sake, Bob was able to test DNA after he got back from vacationing in two weeks. Unfortunately, that meant that the wedding plans would be in full swing by then.

Luckily for the cause’s sake, Bob was able to test DNA after he got back from vacationing in two weeks. Unfortunately, that meant that the wedding plans would be in full swing by then. Hopefully the moms would at least switch Jamia out for Gerard, and maybe even delay the wedding by then. The other big problem was.... Frank couldn’t man up enough to tell Gerard that if he was Jamia’s brother, Frank would be marrying him instead. He had every chance to warm Gerard up to the idea, though. Like the day after Gerard was officially allowed back upstairs, when Frank had pushed him up against the door and kissed him, smiling. Or after that, when Gerard was asking about Mikey and Jamia and how they were going to work this out. Frank realized after Gerard had fallen asleep that telling him  then would have probably been best. It wasn’t like Gerard hated him or anything, did he? Granted, Frank’s mom had this huge, ugly hate-drawer for Gerard to be put in -up there in that mess she called a mind- but it wasn’t like Gerard hated  Frank for it, right? Frank had been a little bit of an asshole, right when Gerard first came home, but he was nice to Gerard now. Maybe- maybe Frank had been a little too late on trying for nice. Maybe Gerard did hate him, and was only kissing Frank back because he wanted to stay instead of the orphanage. Maybe that was why he shied away from Frank sometimes. Frank frowned at the back of Gerard’s head sadly. Gee totally hated him. It was Frank’s fault he got slapped and thrown downstairs. Gerard mumbled in his sleep and rolled over, onto Frank’s pillow. Frank sighed unhappily and watched Gerard’s lips twitch in his sleep, watched his eyebrow tweak like he was talking in his dream. Frank realized he could sit here and watch Gerard sleep like a stalker forever, but it wasn’t going to change anything if Gee really hated him. But Frank loved Gerard, loved it when he laughed and smiled and was just  there.  Frank groaned softly and dropped his head back on his pillow.   
  
He was so fucked.  


* * *

 

  
  
Gerard, of course, noticed nothing out of the ordinary when Frank would just shuffle past him and play his guitar. It didn’t seem like anything was different, the only thing that had really changed was that Frank had changed his music style, apparently. Instead of quick, angry riffs, Frank would play slow and somber ones. Frank couldn’t believe Gerard didn’t notice him, and it only made him sadder. What was so wrong with him that Gerard hated him? Gerard loved everyone downstairs and especially Laura. Was it that Frank had lived so comfortably his whole life while Gerard was living in that hellhole orphanage - all the while being secretly wealthy. Gerard looked happy now though, and that had to count for something, right? Gerard had recently found a love for drawing, and was actually really good. He liked to draw the monsters from old horror movies and especially superheroes from Frank’s old comics. There was this one series,  Doom Patrol,  that Gerard had fallen in love with, and he usually drew mixes of his two favorite things. So it wasn’t any surprise anymore for Frank to come back to his room after dinner and find a new drawing of the Doom Patrol fighting off zombies or wolves on his desk, Gerard “sleeping” in the corner. What was a surprise was when Frank found a drawing after going to some dinner party with a bunch of other assholes whom he  despised \- seriously, whose bright idea was that? The drawing was of a guy sleeping, but when Frank picked it up and looked closer, it was him but without the bleached hair and mohawk. Instead it was him, sleeping soundly, with his hair about to his chin, curling at the ends like it did when it got to be too long. The whole thing was blurred around the edges, like it was meant to show that it wasn’t real, it was too good to be true. Gerard stood about three feet away, worrying his lip nervously, rocking back and forth on his heels like he couldn’t decide if he wanted to take the picture back or let Frank keep it.  Frank closed his mouth, it had fallen open for God’s sake, and glanced at Gerard.   
  
“You- you drew this?” Frank said stupidly. Gerard blushed and nodded, ducking his head. “Is this me?” Gerard nodded again, looking back up at Frank, still chewing his lip. “I love it.” Frank smiled and Gerard blushed again.   
  
“You’re just saying that.” Gerard mumbled. “It’s creepy.” Frank frowned.  
  
“No it’s not, it’s my favorite one so far.” Frank said, before adding, “Well, those zombies are always pretty awesome.” Gerard blushed again.   
  
“I had to watch you sleep to draw it, though.” Gerard mumbled, flushing a darker red from embarrassment.   
  
“That’s not creepy, Gee.” Frank smiled, going for reassuring.  Now or never,  he reminded himself. “Listen, Gee, you know about the whole tattoo thing? How we think you’re Mia’s brother?” Gerard nodded. “Well, uh, if you’re Mia’s brother, uhm.” Frank stuttered. Gerard nodded and waited for Frank to finish. “You’d uhm, end up-” A knock interrupted Frank, and he pulled the door open, both angry and relieved at the interruption. It was his mom.   
  
“Frank, you’re getting married and your opinion does matter.” She reminded him through clenched teeth. They’d had this argument before. His mom seemed to notice the picture in his hand before she could continue and pointed it out. “What is that?” Frank snuck it behind his back.   
  
“It’s nothing, what were you saying?” He stuttered, and his mom raised an eyebrow, diving forward and yanking the picture out of Frank’s hand.  
  
“Who drew this?” She asked, clearly amazed at the picture.  
  
“Uh, I asked Gerard to draw a picture of me.” Frank lied quickly, but it went the exact opposite of the way he’d wanted it. His mom’s expression darkened at the mention of Gerard, and she glared over his shoulder at Gee, crumpling the beautiful drawing up and tossing it in Frank’s trashcan. “You said something about wedding plans?” Frank hissed through his teeth. That was his favorite picture, dammit. His mother shook her head and slammed the door, stomping downstairs. Frank pulled the drawing back out of the trash and frowned, sitting down on the floor and smoothing it out.   
  
“I’ll draw you another one, if you want, Frankie.” Gerard said quietly, taking the ruined one and putting it back in the trash, sitting next to him. “You were saying something about I’d end up doing something if I was Jamia’s brother.” Gerard reminded him. Frank swallowed down his nerves and nodded, grabbing Gerard’s hand and watching their hands rather than Gerard’s face.  
  
“If you’re Jamia’s brother, you’ll marry me.” He murmured, blushing ashamedly. Gerard jerked his hand out of Frank’s grip. Frank looked up at Gerard’s face and was instantly sorry he had. Gerard looked upset and angry.   
  
“I’ll what?” Gerard asked tightly. Frank wanted to cry. He knew Gerard didn’t like him but he thought maybe the drawing meant he’d changed or something.   
  
“Jamia and I don’t love each other, Gee. If you really don’t want to marry me, I guess we’ll get divorced or something, but Jamia loves someone else, and they’ll be engaged as soon as you and I are. I’m- I’m sorry. You hate me, I should’ve told you earlier, you’re angry, I know, I’m sorry.” Frank explained thickly, his lip trembling. He ruined everything, he should have told Gerard earlier, should’ve- Frank froze. Gerard had leaned forward, caught Frank’s face in his hands, and kissed him.  
  
Frank hiccuped happily in the back of his throat, waving his hands around until he wrapped them around Gerard’s chin, licking into his mouth. Gerard winced and Frank fumbled to take his hand away from the still healing bruise, settling it on his shoulder instead. After they’d kissed for what seemed like forever, Gerard pulled away and rested his forehead against Frank’s, panting.  
  
“I don’t hate you, Frankie, you surprised me is all.” He breathed, rubbing his thumbs under Frank’s eyes. Frank nodded dumbly, still not quite seeing straight. “So married huh?” Gerard smiled, and Frank nodded again, smiling back.  Frank’s phone rang shrilly, startling the pair so badly they jumped apart. It was Jamia.   
  
“Frankie, Bob’s back early so if you can get Gerard out of the house and over here we can do the tests now.” She said, talking over Frank’s hello. Frank bit his lip and looked over at Gerard, who was smiling softly and touching his lips a little wistfully. Frank knew how he felt.   
  
“I can try, Mia, but no guarantees.” He said dazedly, touching his own lips where they were still tingling a little from the kiss. Jesus, whoever said sparks fly weren’t kidding.   
  
“Great, see you two later!” Jamia chirped and hung up. Frank let his phone down off his ear, mind already whirling for excuses for a reason as to why Jamia would want Gerard over at her house. Gerard sat down next to him, looking concerned.   
  
“What’s wrong, Frankie?” He murmured, touching Frank’s hand. Frank shook his head and kissed Gerard again. Yeah, Jamia could wait for an hour or so.   
  
  
  
  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Three AM doodle is above ^_^ Thanks to everyone who left kudos and commented, I love you all! *hugs you guys*


	6. Maybe I Will, Maybe I Won't

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After about three angry phone calls, two emails, and a fuckton of texts from Jamia, Frank decided maybe making her wait wasn’t the best idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am a horrible, horrible, awful liar. I said I would post like three days ago and I LIED, I'm sorry. Chapter Title from the Young Veins. xxLee

After about three angry phone calls, two emails, and a fuckton of texts from Jamia, Frank decided maybe making her wait wasn’t the best idea. Frank texted Jamia back and told her to call his mom if she wanted him and Gerard over. God knows she’d never buy it coming from Frank. Gerard was biting his lips and patting down his hair, worried that maybe Frank’s mom would notice something different, or something off about Gerard going with Frank to Jamia’s. Frank touched his shoulder, frowning, but ran to answer the door when Frank’s mom knocked. She didn’t bother to let Frank answer, going straight to Gerard.   
  
“You’ll be on your best behavior when you head over to the Nestor’s.” She commanded. Gerard nodded, wide eyed, as she backed up and handed Frank a set of keys. “If he,” She began, jerking a thumb at Gerard, “causes trouble just leave him on the street. Wouldn’t want Jamia getting the wrong idea about you.” She sniffed, leaving the room. Frank huffed angrily, and touched Gerard’s wrist lightly.   
  
“You’re okay?” He asked, smiling when Gerard nodded and wrapped his fingers around Frank’s wrist. “Let’s go.”   
  
To say Frank was a good driver would be an horrible, awful lie. Gerard covered his eyes after the first three times Frank swerved through different lanes, curling his knees up to his chest and peeking through his fingers every time the car stopped, just in case it’s finally over. Frank was totally oblivious to the fact that Gerard was panicking in the passenger seat. He was too busy cursing, honking his horn and speeding around yet another car. Frank finally slowed, and Gerard peeked out to find that they’ve stopped in front of a set of gates with a heart engraved on them. Frank typed a code into the keypad and the gates creaked open. Gerard could see Jamia waiting impatiently out front, flanked by a tall blonde guy whose eyes - Jesus, Gerard could see them from the 5 feet that separated them- were a piercing blue. Gerard reluctantly took his seat belt off and scrambled out of the car. Frank smiled sheepishly at Jamia, who was tapping her foot and glaring.   
  
“I’m sorry I took so long?” He apologized, but Jamia only glared, so he tried again, “Uh, I’m sorry that I... made you call?” Jamia huffed, so he figured he was forgiven.... kind of. He reached out to touch Gerard’s hand, and ended up getting caught in Gerard’s death grip. Gerard looked like he was about faint. “Was it my driving?” Frank murmured, squeezing Gerard’s hand when he nodded. “Sorry, Gee.”   
  
“You drove, didn’t you?” Jamia interrupted, smiling. Frank was totally forgiven, and to answer her question, Frank nodded. “You idiot, he’s never gonna wanna get in a car ever again.” She chastised. Frank grinned.   
  
“All part of my master plan.” He replied smoothly, smirking. Gerard huffed and squeezed Frank’s hand. “Sorry, Gee.” He repeated, still grinning wickedly. Jamia cackled delightedly and hugged them both.  
  
“So, shall we get down to business, then?” She grinned, tugging Gerard in by his elbow. Bob followed suit, and Frank was left to follow last. 

* * *

  
If Frank had known Gerard was such a bitch when it came to needles, he wouldn’t have agreed to the blood test. Bob easily pulled out a syringe and cleaned the whole thing off, wiping the crease of Gerard’s arm off with disinfectant as well before Gerard seemed to realize what was happening.   
  
“What?!” He squawked, flinching away from Bob and the needle, crossing his arms over his chest and hunching in on himself. He was covering skin, Frank realized.   
  
“What’s wrong, Gee?” Frank murmured, rubbing his arm soothingly. Gerard was breathing shallowly, eyeing the needle, and had gone ghost white. Gerard whimpered and shook his head, eyes not leaving Bob for a second. Frank frowned. “You don’t like needles, Gee?” Gerard shook his head fast. He looked up at an confused Jamia. “Can we change the test to something less needle-ish?” Jamia sighed and shook her head.   
  
“Blood works fastest, Frankie.” She replied apologetically. Frank sighed and touched Gerard’s knees where they’d gone up to his chest.  
  
“Gee, it’s gotta happen.” He murmured. Gerard whimpered, glancing up at Frank. Frank took one of Gerard’s hands and squeezed it. “Just close your eyes, Gee. It’ll be over really quick, ok?” Gerard gulped and nodded, squeezing his eyes shut. Bob pushed the needle under Gerard’s skin and Gerard stiffened, squeezing most of the blood out of Frank’s hand with the effort of not jerking away. Frank kissed Gerard’s temple as the syringe filled with enough blood to test, waiting for Bob to pull it back out and patch Gerard up. When there was a bandage over the offending wound, Gerard was still white and now seemed a bit dizzy. It wasn’t like Bob had taken a pint or anything, but Frank guessed that the woozy spell was from Gerard’s fear of needles. Frank pulled Gerard close and ran his fingers through his hair. It was what Laura would do when he was really sick as a child, too sick to go to school but not sick enough for his mom to care. Frank guessed that sick enough for his mom to care was the _hospitalization to death-by-stupid-diseases_  area. Mainly because she’d end up paying for it, in the end. Gerard made a tiny noise and leaned his head on Frank’s shoulder.  Bob leaned over the monitor of his computer  to say the words no one wanted to hear.  
  
“Jamia, you and Gerard aren’t related....at all.” He said, frowning unhappily. Frank felt his heart drop from his throat, where it’d been since Bob had started the test, all the way down to his stomach. Looked like he and Jamia were getting married after all. Jamia frowned sadly at the same time Gerard clutched onto Frank’s free hand.   
  
“How-” Frank’s heart was suddenly back up in his throat. He coughed once, and tried again. “How could they not be related? I thought the tattoo meant the same as J’s.” He reminded them all hopefully. Bob shook his head and turned his computer around to where four long lists of DNA were displayed.   
  
“The ones on the left and the middle are Jamia and her parents.” Bob explained, showing the similarly colored charts of letters that Frank really didn’t understand past the colors. “Here’s Gerard’s DNA.” Bob said, highlighting a list that was colored completely different from Jamia’s family’s. Frank cursed quietly. There wasn’t any way he was marrying Gerard. Jamia sighed sadly and touched Frank’s shoulder.   
  
“It’ll be ok, Frankie.” She sighed. Frank frowned.   
  
“Mia-” He protested and she shook her head. They’d been through this before. “We could- we could try Mikey...” He said, still clinging to hope. Bob sighed.   
  
“Frank. He’s got security up to his fuckin’ ears.” Frank knew this, he _knew_ , he just didn’t want to believe it. Despite this, Bob prattled on. “And anyway, there’s nothing we can do now. The account with all that money is for your families, but mainly you guys. I’d love to try, Frank, believe me, but there’s just no way. Unless Mikey sticks himself and sends it in, we’re fucked.” Frank blew a fuse.  
  
“I know! I fucking know this, Bob! You think I’m not desperate for something to fucking go right for _once_?! Dammit, Bryar, we have to think of something!” Gerard recoiled at the outburst, and Frank huffed a little before settling back down. Gerard hated yelling. Jamia smiled suddenly, down at her phone.  
  
“Guys, I think we just got our Golden Ticket to Rush Mansion.” She grinned, showing the e-vite to Frank then Bob. It was for Mikey and Pete’s engagement. No surprise there, really. “It says plus one, guys. That means when Frank gets one for being my fiancee, he can invite Gerard and then I’ll invite Bob. Simple.”   
  
“One problem, Mia.” Bob muttered, pointing down at the e-vite. In small print, the bottom of it read: _Any orphans, maids and/or butlers are strictly prohibited. The Rush family will provide any and all workers for the guests._   
  
“Well, fuck.” Jamia muttered.

 


End file.
